Directed by: Shahab Habibi Written by: Maurice Sinner Genre: Drama |
Ba Ham
In this excellent short film, a displaced Iranian refugee who has been trying for years to get his wife brought to Germany risks everything he has in a last-ditch effort. Back home, things have gotten really bad, and the window to safely get his wife out of the country is closing fast. All avenues of escape are quickly vanishing. This is the short film Ba Ham (Together), and it's a surprisingly excellent micro-budget film.
So let's cut right to it, shall we? Although Ba Ham doesn't shy away from its political backstory, what we actually have here is a love story. Just like that old Meatloaf song, I would do anything for love; protagonist Pouya will do whatever it takes to get his wife, Nikta, to safety with him. Pouya was forced to leave his homeland because, as it's more than hinted at, he used to make and upload political videos and was eventually forced to relocate to Germany. His wife had to stay behind, but Pouya has been working hard at getting her back with him. Their marriage is a secret, but Pouya begins to suspect it's not so secret anymore. The film's final half revolves around what Pouya will do to get her to safety, as well as his uncontrollable urge to speak up against what is happening in his country. It comes across as polished and dramatic. What really gets me is how well this film played out. It looks great, which is always good for a micro-budget film, but it also flows excellently across the screen. The editing is great, and it adds a lot of drama to what "could" have been a slower-paced film. As far as a micro-budget movie goes, this is about as good as I've seen for quite some time. Ba Ham is nicely put together, excellently performed, and even the writing itself is to the point. What more can I write? I was pleasantly surprised and watched straight through from start to finish. Even the distraction of having to read subtitles didn't stop this short film from being all-around excellent. Would I recommend it? One hundred percent. To the cast and crew, writer and director, well done. This was half an hour well spent. |
